The first thing I notice are several trailers lined up along the side of a building. There’s a big white tent with tons of people inside. I want to hurl. I didn’t know what to wear, so I let Luna dress me. I stare down at my short skirt. I look like I’m trying too hard. Luna insisted I let all the other women see what I had to offer. Tugging down on my shirt in the back, I hope it will bring it up higher in the front to hide some cleavage. It’s no use. The girls are on display. Ugh.
I park the car in the studio lot and text Fisher to let him know I’m here. Opening the door, I step outside and attempt to lengthen my skirt by pulling down on it. Suddenly tempted to leave, I wonder if I have time to run to the nearest Target for a new outfit.
“Hot damn.”
Twirling to my left, I watch Fisher strut toward me. His walk reminds me of Channing Tatum in “Magic Mike.” He’s grabbing a hold of his lips as he shuffles his feet toward me with what I can only describe as swagger.
“Excuse me. I know this is a little forward, but would you like to climb back into your car and make out? Damn, you are fiiiinnnneee.”
I close my eyes and shake my head, pulling on my shirt. “Is it too much? I let Luna dress me.”
“Luna just became one of my favorite people in the world. Remind me to send her a fruit basket or something.”
His arm swings around my waist and he pulls me tightly against his hard chest. “You look beautiful. I missed you.”
My stomach does somersaults as I get a whiff of his cologne. He bends his head and kisses me below my ear. “Maybe we should skip this and go somewhere.”
I snicker as I grab a hold of his tree trunk arms. “Wouldn’t your crew wonder what happened to you?”
He sighs. “Probably. Thanks for coming. Are you ready to see what I do all day?”
“Sort of. You know how you always want me to open up and tell you more about myself? Well, I’m about to spill. I have major social anxiety. Usually, I’m okay once I get inside, but right before an event, I always feel like I’m going to pass out.”
He listens intently as if I’ve somehow revealed the secret combination to a safe. “Hold on to me. If at any point it’s too much, just squeeze my hand three times quickly and I’ll get you out of there. Okay?”
I nod and he takes my hand as we walk. He points to a park. “We do a lot of the outdoor shots over there. There’s a school up the street and we film there a lot on the weekends. I’m supposed to be a high school English teacher.”
“You don’t look like any teacher I’ve ever seen.”
“Is that good or bad?”
“Let’s just say I probably would have loved coming to school if I had a teacher who looked like you.”
We enter the tent and I grip his arm with my free hand. He lets go of my hand and places his arm around my waist, pulling me snugly to his side. I feel safe and protected. It’s a new feeling and one I could get used to.
“Macy, this is my director, Arthur Westbury. Arthur, this is my girlfriend, Macy Greer.”
I can’t help but do a double take at him. Did he just call me his girlfriend? I shake hands and smile at a lot of people over the next thirty minutes, but all I hear over and over in my head is him telling everyone I’m his. I don’t know whether to jump for joy or be mad that he didn’t ask me first.
All my thoughts go flying out the window when a gorgeous blonde shouts his name across the tent. Fisher immediately drops my hand and gasps. She rushes to him and he meets her halfway, picking her up and spinning her as he hugs her. Half the tent laughs as the other half seems to be questioning who she is, along with me.
“What are you doing here?” he asks excitedly.
“Do you think I’d miss a chance to see where my best friend works? So I had to drive a couple of hours . . . I still look fabulous, don’t I?”
“As beautiful as ever.”
Rubbing my forearms, I start to feel like everyone is watching me for a reaction. After all, he did just introduce me as his girlfriend a few minutes ago. Now it seems he’s forgotten I exist. If he were next to me, I’d squeeze his hand three times, but since he’s not, I decide to make him remember me.
“Fisher?” I question as I walk over to him and touch his arm.
He pulls his gaze away from her and smiles. “Macy, this is my best friend, Chloe. Chloe, this is Macy.”
He fails to call me his girlfriend this time and if he thinks that little tidbit is lost on me, he’s sadly mistaken. Chloe. I briefly remember him listing her as one of the few people he trusted while we were in Florida. I never gave her a second thought until now. My mistake.
I shake her soft hand. She smiles genuinely. Maybe she’s a great person, but right now, I’m on edge and ready to fight for him.
“It’s so nice to meet you. Fish talks about you all the time.”
Fish? I cringe. “Oh? You two must talk a lot.”
“Almost every day,” she says, touching his arm. He smiles at her like he just found his favorite toy hidden under the bed.
“I can’t believe you’re here. Macy, do you mind if I introduce her to some people? Chloe and I used to model together when we were younger. She lives in L.A. now and I don’t see her as much as I’d like anymore.”
“No, not at all.” I try my best to be polite even though I want to scream don’t leave me. He seems so happy. Part of me is happy he’s happy, but I can’t help but feel jealous of the way she’s taken a hold of his arm as they walk. I watch him introduce her to the same people he introduced to me. She’s the “best friend.” I’m the “girlfriend,” although I wonder if Chloe knows that. She has the longest, most toned legs I’ve ever seen. I vow to start using the stairs.
She’s wearing heels and walking on grass like it’s nothing. I couldn’t walk in those heels on hard pavement. Damn her for being so graceful and feminine. Her makeup is perfect. It almost seems like she’s not wearing any at all. I suddenly feel my pores crying out in agony for being smothered in foundation.
A man carrying a tray offers me a red punch, so I take it, praying it’s laced with some kind of liquor. It tastes more like fruit punch than anything, but I try to pretend there’s vodka in it so I can get through the day.
After a few minutes, they walk back over to me. Fisher kisses the side of my head and smiles down at me. It makes me feel a tiny bit better. I decide I need to find out more. “So, Chloe, how long have you two known each other?”
“Since we were . . . ten?” she asks, gazing at Fisher for confirmation. “We went to grade school together and became instant friends. Fish has always been my protector. He’s fought off many a boy for me.”
Fisher grins and shrugs as he looks at me.
“Uh-huh. He’s very chivalrous.”
“Then we moved to New York together while we went to school. We got a small apartment our junior year and never looked back.” She smiles at him with pure adoration.
“You two lived together?”
She nods as she takes a glass of punch from a tray. “For four years in New York. He’s been known to shack up at my place whenever he has work out this way. But I guess he didn’t want the three-hour commute this time.” She pouts lightly and he laughs.
“No way. I’m always late as it is. Macy can attest to that.”
“I hope you don’t mind, but I’m fangirling a little bit. I loved Book Boyfriend! It’s my favorite book. I pimp you out to everyone I know.”
“Aww, thanks, that so sweet of you to say.”
“Fish talks about you nonstop. He told me about the flying lesson. He’s such a romantic, isn’t he?”
I nod and smile awkwardly at both of them as I down what’s left of my punch. I want to say something like, it’s so sweet that he tells you everything. Maybe even did he mention I fondled my pussy in front of him the other day? Did you hear that part too? And then I’d follow it up with why haven’t I heard a word about you? Are you his dirty little secret? You look like you might be a dirty girl. But I bite my tongue. I’d seem as jealous as I feel and that would be very bad.
What reason would he have for keeping her a secret? They talk every day? You’d think them living together for years might have come up when he was giving me his history. But no, not a word. Why is that? Did they date?
“In a few minutes we’re going to tour the set. I’m really excited for you both to see it.”
Another gorgeous woman taps him on the shoulder. He turns and hugs her. “Macy, Chloe, this is my co-star Ireland Moore.”
Chloe offers her hand first.
“Cute shoes,” Ireland says with a smile. “Where did you get them?”
“Girl, I found them on sale at Filene’s Rack. Do you believe I only paid six hundred for them?”
“That’s a steal. We should go shopping together. I could use a friend with an eye for fashion like me.”
“I’m totally down.”
Oh goody. Bestie and work wife are bonding in front of my eyes.
“Hi, Macy, it’s nice to meet you.”
I smile awkwardly and that ends our interaction.
“Well, I should get back to the hubby,” she says, taking a step back. She points her fingers from her eyes outward to Fisher. “I’ll see you later.”
I sigh in relief checking her potential threat off the list. Thank God she’s married. Not that it means much anymore in today’s world.
Chloe leans over to Fisher. “She’s so nice.”
“I know, right?” he responds. “I got really lucky to work with such a great cast.”
The producer announces the start of the tour. Chloe grabs a hold of Fisher’s arm, claiming him before I even get a chance to get near him.
Fisher holds his other hand out to me and I take it like a person who just won second place.
As we walk through the set, Fisher beams with pride. He glances at me from time to time to gauge my reaction, but he’s mostly distracted by Chloe and her constant questions.
There’s a small dinner after the tour and I decide it’s the perfect time to excuse myself. “Hey,” I say, pulling on Fisher’s arm. “I’m going to take off.”
“What? Why?”
“I have a lot of work to do and I think you could use some time catching up with Chloe.”
He eyes me skeptically. “Okay, but can’t you at least stay and eat?”
“I’d love to, but I’m not hungry.”
He frowns.
“I’ll talk to you later. Chloe, it was nice meeting you.”
“Are you going? I was hoping we could hang out after this and get to know each other.”
“Work . . .” I sigh, raising my hands in the air and rolling my eyes like I’m the busiest woman on the planet.
“Let me walk you to your car.”
“No, you stay. I’ll be fine. Thanks for inviting me. It was great.”
I turn and quickly walk away before he has a chance to say another word. I can hear Luna’s voice in my head telling me to fight for him, but it’s not who I am. Looking back briefly, I notice Chloe has her hand cupped to Fisher’s ear. He’s listening to her and staring at me.
The tears prick my eyes. She’s the type of girl he belongs with, not me.
Fumbling with my keys, I drop them on the ground. A masculine hand reaches for them. I gaze up as Fisher picks them up and hands them to me.
“What’s going on? Talk to me.”
My lips tremble and I desperately try to pull myself together.
“Did I leave you for too long? I’m so sorry. I know this was hard for you.”
I shake my head and play with my keys in my hand.
“Then what’s wrong? Do you really have a lot of work or is something else going on?”
“I got the script yesterday and they really need my edits.”
He nods and crosses his arms. His eyes bore a hole into my brain as he tries to read my mind. “Okay, but you still need to eat.”
“I’ll be fine. As you can see, I have storage.”
He sighs and pulls my arm until I’m against him.
“You do not have storage. You’re perfect.”
“Not as perfect as Chloe.”
He takes a step back to see my face. “Is that what this is about? She told me to go after you to reassure you.”
“Aww, isn’t she sweet.” My sticky sarcasm makes him smirk.
“She’s a good person. I’d really like for her to get to know you better.”
“Why? She seems to know everything about me, yet you never once mentioned her to me. You tell her everything?”
“Not everything. Chloe and I have a weird relationship. She can be really needy. She’s not proud of it, but it stems from years of bullying. Her self-esteem is almost non-existent.”
“Could have fooled me.”
“Are you jealous?”
“No.”
“Seriously, are you worried about her?”
“No. Why would I be? After all, you introduced me as your girlfriend to everyone except her. Speaking of that, don’t you think we should have discussed what was going on with us before you announced it to everyone else?”
His eyebrows lift in amazement and he raises his hands in the air as if to shield himself from my sudden anger. “Whoa . . . let me get this straight. You’re mad because I didn’t call you my girlfriend to Chloe and you’re mad because I called you my girlfriend to everyone else?”
I toy with my keys once more as I realize how ridiculous it sounds. “Yes?” I gaze up at him through my lashes and wince. “I’m sorry, okay? I just started feeling like a third wheel.”
“Babe, you are the main wheel. The only wheel, if you ask me. I didn’t realize I didn’t call you my girlfriend when I introduced you. I was shocked to see her. It was inconsiderate of me.”
“No, it’s fine. I’m just . . . I don’t know . . . feeling insecure, I guess.”
He grabs a hold of me and pulls me against his chest. “There’s not a thing for you to worry about. I promise.”
“Okay.” I try to sound confident as I grip his shoulders and inhale his scent like it’s the last time.
He pushes me back to study me. “Please come back and eat with us. It would mean a lot to me.”
I don’t know what to do. I want to stay, but I also want to go.
He stares at me while I try to decide. “Chloe told me that when I ran after you, I should tell you more about her.”
“Like what?” I ask.
“It’s a long story.”
“Okay . . .” I say, watching him glance back to the tent. He rubs his hand along the back of his neck.
“What? Just say it.” I mentally prepare myself to hear they dated.
“Oh . . . let’s start off with the fact that when I first met her, her name was Joey. And . . . she was a guy.”
“What did you say?”